22/03/2016

UH Match Report 2016

A whole year had gone by since that tremendous victory over Mary’s at Ealing Trailfinder’s ground. The victory was all the more momentous for RUMS as they had not reached the UH final in over a decade and not won the competition since 1887. When RUMS emerged victorious after 20-6 win, cries of ‘Middle Middle Middle’ shook even the head of Jeremy Bentham himself in the Huntley.

Fast-forward a year.

A semi final that RUMS dominated against Barts, 41-0 to RUMS. The team were through to the final. The boys were looking strong, fit and with the support of the medical school behind them, we were in for a great game against St George’s.

Same location as the previous year, same prize, but different rivals. After an intense warm-up, some cracking culture and frenzied fans arriving; both teams could feel the ecstasy in the air.

Kick off.

An early penalty in the first ten minutes gave George’s the chance to take the lead. Fortunately for RUMS, under the eerie silence, bright floodlights and cold night air the pressure got to the George’s number 10 and the ball swung left of the posts.

RUMS ran back up from the 22-drop out, applying pressure to the St George’s attack; leading them to fumble the ball. This gave RUMS a scrum on the 22. Chants of ‘RUMS love SCRUMS’ erupted from RUMS mascot, Chris ‘the pig’ Latchem, with his mentor and trainer Jon Port-ridge

FEED THE PIG

Ball back in free play leads to Jack Smith making a tremendous turnover 10 metres out. Distributed rapidly by final year Will Rea, out to Cox Nick running a line harsher than his new hairstyle. Cox sits his opposite man down in a manner only Bumble could sympathise with.

Lineout on the 5m line to RUMS. Screams of middlemiddlemiddle explode. Carried by the crowd and Ash Guilliam’s slender quads, the forwards maul towards the line for the try.

5-0 RUMS.

The George’s kick off is sent deep into the RUMS half. Leading to a lineout to RUMS. Precision Pearson fires the ball into solid hands of Holden in the lineout. Ball out to Joe Hearle to give him the chance to clear ball from their own half into open space. Ben P chases, grubbering the ball onwards towards opposition try line. George’s met by the blue wall of the RUMS defence they knock the ball on. A scrum to RUMS. The eight forwards move as one and drive the ball over for a try.

10-0 RUMS.

Cullen calmly slots the extra points.

12-0 RUMS.

George’s kick off. RUMS run back, giving a penalty for not rolling away. George’s kicker points to the sticks, an excellent attempt from just in front of the half way line, but it was no Andrew Edward Bailey. The score remains at 12-0.

15 minutes to half time. George’s have a spell of possession on the opposition 22 but can’t penetrate the blue wall of RUMS. A scrum to RUMs on their own 10m line. A clearance leads to George’s lineout back from where the kick was from. A well worked lineout following a period of George’s at high intensity leads to them mauling over for a try.

12-5 to RUMS.

Both teams enter for half time, to enormous cheers from both of their respective supporters.

As the second half began highlights of play came from the resolute RUMS defence. The team stood as one, impenetrable to the George’s attack; with huge hits from Jase Wilson and Derek Effion. However after some hard running lines from George’s an overlap appears and one man goes round the outside for a further try.

12-10 to RUMS.

Squeaky bum time.

RUMS respond with 10 minutes spent in the opposition 5; markedly Ben P smashing line after line through the opposition centres. George’s have switched on and upped their game in this second half. Play is turned-over to George’s and their lines cleared.

A repeated offence by George’s leads to a penalty for RUMS and a sin bin to George’s player. 14 men for George’s but no extra points added to the total.

There is tension in the crowd, we all know how close the game is and one mistake, one piece of miraculous play and it will seal the game for either team. The faith in the boys is there; huge tackles from Jack Smith, quick up and out line movements as one and high pressure from Bumble leads to a knock on by George’s. George’s win the scrum against the head.

The crowd is aware of that time is tight; the end of the game is coming. After some open play on the right side the whistle blows; the referee gives George’s a penalty. RUMS drop back and face up.

George’s after some discussion point to the posts, to take the points.

George’s kicker Zak Vinnicombe with hundreds of eyes and the weight of his medical school on his shoulders steps back to take the kick. He strikes it, its clean, he slots the kick.

13-12 to George’s.

The final whistle blows.

The reaction of the crowd was felt instantaneously, elation from St George’s, and commiserations from RUMS. The disappointment for the team after all the hard work and training they had put in all year was evident. Nevertheless the RUMS supporters stood proudly by their team, knowing they had represented RUMS to the upmost standard on this night and all year; cries of ‘Middle middle middle’ went out to be echoed back by all with ‘sex, sex, sex’.